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Hamas completes formation of Palestinian cabinet

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-18 19:44

GAZA, March 18 - Hamas on Saturday completed forming a Palestinian cabinet that will put loyal members of the Islamic militant group in charge of key ministries, including interior, foreign affairs and finance, Hamas officials said.

More moderate factions, including President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement, refused to form a government with Hamas.

Hamas's inability to win coalition partners and its decision to appoint its own members to the three key ministries could bolster U.S. and Israeli efforts to isolate the new government diplomatically and economically.

"Hamas has ended the formation of the government. The cabinet is ready to be presented to President Mahmoud Abbas in a meeting to be agreed with him," Hamas official spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

He said Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's prime minister designate, would make the announcement at a news conference in Gaza at 1600 local (1400 GMT), although the group does not plan to unveil its line-up publicly before presenting it to Abbas.

Abbas was expected to meet with Hamas leaders in Gaza on Saturday but the timing of that meeting could change.

Abbas could object to Hamas's line-up, triggering a constitutional crisis. Hamas holds an outright majority in the Palestinian parliament.

Abbas's Fatah faction decided not to join the government because the surprise winner of the January 25 election refused to accept interim peace deals and to commit to seeking a negotiated settlement with Israel.

Fatah and the other factions were also under U.S. pressure not to join.

Only the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, whose leader was seized this week by Israeli forces from a West Bank prison, was still considering joining the government with Hamas, although it was unclear if a deal would be reached.

According to sources close to the deliberations, Hamas has decided to name Omar Abdel-Razeq, a prominent West Bank economics professor and Hamas election official, to the post of finance minister.